Young band charms crowd at Avondale Bacon Fest

Al Maynard stands on a slight embankment overlooking a stage his teenage son, a whiz on the banjo, guitar and upright bass, is performing on for the Avondale Bacon Fest.

It’s The Andrew Maynard Band’s debut, just two weeks after the ensemble formed.

They hook their audience early, opening with the upbeat bluegrass tune Fox On The Run. Cheers from the crowd tell the band, comprised of locals between the ages of 17 and 19, they’re off to a great start.

Maynard smiles.

“That, to me as a parent, is the most rewarding thing – that people appreciate him as much as we do,” he said.

The Andrew Maynard Band – Andrew Maynard, Rod Fisher, Kallie Roberts, Kyle Newcombe and Kayla Kidd– was one of many highlights of the festival hosted at Avondale Sky Winery Aug. 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bacon-inspired edibles glistened in the heat of the sun, and a gentle breeze made it easy to locate such delicacies as bacon-flavoured ice cream, bacon brownies and chocolate-covered bacon – on a stick.

Festival organizer Kathy Monroe believes the A Bite of Nova Scotia event is the perfect way to support local artists, musicians and businesses.

“Food-based events help bring in larger crowds for our artists,” she said.

Monroe hopes to see the bacon fest grow to be as popular as the annual Avondale Garlic Fest, which is slated to return to Avondale Sky Winery Sept. 20.

“We’ve got a very supportive community and it’s a wonderful destination,” she said.

Avondale Sky Winery made international headlines when the owners, Lorraine Vassalo and Stewart Creaser, opted to have the former St. Matthews Church in Walton shipped to Newport Landing via the Minas Basin in 2011.

The church, dating back to the 1840s, has been restored and now serves as the winery’s headquarters.

“People still come out here and just go gaga over that church,” said Monroe.

Solveig Brūckmann, who is visiting Avondale from Spain this summer, had some tasty treats to hand out at the bacon festival. She was the go-to gal for bacon-flavoured ice cream, brownies and chocolate covered bacon on a stick.